Tag Archive: Utah


Permission = Freedom?

Eric Blair

Activist Post

“The secret in propaganda is that when you demonize, you dehumanize,” says James Forsher, a film historian. “When you dehumanize, it allows you to kill your enemy and no longer feel guilty about it.”

Apparently illegal immigrants have been sufficiently dehumanized to force them into biometric tracking. There’s no way the government would use biometrics to track the superior law-abiding natives, right?  More on this later.

Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue that genuinely affects many communities and the motivation to do something about it is understandable.  However, anti-immigration supporters may be playing right into Big Brother’s hands by being tricked into supporting the hi-tech enslavement of themselves.

Some have referred to the sweeping immigration reform bill in Congress as a “Trojan Horse for Biometrics.”  These systems are a clear indication that illegal immigration is being used to put the final touches on the full-spectrum surveillance grid in America.

And, shockingly, politicians are making the immigration reform bill more stringent instead of less, apparently fueled by anti-immigration zealots.

According to NBC News, the senate hopes to finalize a bill for a vote by the end of the week. The Senate Judiciary Committee has been debating many biometric identification mandates and have now approved a more stringent biometric “test system” for U.S. airports.
Carrie Dann of NBC News writes:

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a Republican considered to be a swing vote on the 18 member committee. That amendment, a less stringent version of a biometric proposal that failed last week, would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish a fingerprinting system at the 10 U.S. airports with the highest international traffic within two years. After six years, that system would have to be in place at the nation’s 30 biggest airports.

One of the key authors of the legislation, Marco Rubio (R-FL), said ”The amendment adopted today is a good start and I will continue to fight to make the tracking of entries and exits include biometrics.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) called it “a start” as well.

 

Read Full Article Here

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Earth Watch Report  -  Earthquakes -  United  States

 photo UnitedStateslast15daysMay14th2013_zps7b658a8d.jpg

Montana  – 4 EQ’s
Utah – 1 EQ
California – 16 EQ’s
Arkansas – 1 EQ
Texas – 2  EQ’s
Wyoming – 1 EQ
Tennessee – 1 EQ
Oklahoma – 1 EQ
Oregon – 1 EQ
Nevada – 1 EQ
Washington State – 1 EQ

 

….

M3.6 – 4km NW of Meiners Oaks, California

Time
2013-05-07 04:06:09-05:00
Location
34.479°N 119.311°W
Depth
13.4km

Instrumental Intensity

ShakeMap Intensity Image

 

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M2.9 – 12km SW of Lima, Montana

Time
2013-05-07 04:46:09-05:00
Location
44.572°N 112.723°W
Depth
11.0km

 

 

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M3.0 – 13km SE of West Yellowstone, Montana

Time
2013-05-07 08:22:33-05:00
Location
44.587°N 110.965°W
Depth
8.6km

 

 

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M2.6 – 4km NW of Meiners Oaks, California

Time
2013-05-07 13:48:22-05:00
Location
34.478°N 119.309°W
Depth
13.6km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 13km SE of West Yellowstone, Montana

Time
2013-05-07 15:08:54-05:00
Location
44.590°N 110.971°W
Depth
8.7km

 

 

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M2.7 – 15km WSW of Neah Bay, Washington

Time
2013-05-07 23:22:57-05:00
Location
48.316°N 124.817°W
Depth
16.7km

 

 

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M2.9 – 20km N of Hawthorne, Nevada

Time
2013-05-07 23:24:24-05:00
Location
38.708°N 118.592°W
Depth
7.2km

 

 

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M2.5 – 25km NNE of Snyder, Texas

Time
2013-05-08 02:58:11-05:00
Location
32.939°N 100.852°W
Depth
3.7km

 

 

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M2.7 – 13km SW of Chester, California

Time
2013-05-08 08:30:03-05:00
Location
40.221°N 121.344°W
Depth
8.8km

 

 

….

M2.7 – 134km W of Waldport, Oregon

Time
2013-05-08 14:37:18-05:00
Location
44.390°N 125.759°W
Depth
40.8km

 

 

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M2.7 – 3km N of Lemoore Station, California

Time
2013-05-08 16:02:44-05:00
Location
36.297°N 119.906°W
Depth
16.5km

 

 

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M3.0 – 94km W of Ferndale, California

Time
2013-05-08 16:41:01-05:00
Location
40.423°N 125.361°W
Depth
22.6km

 

 

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M2.9 – 9km ENE of East Quincy, California

Time
2013-05-09 08:05:31-05:00
Location
39.973°N 120.795°W
Depth
3.5km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 4km SE of Jones, Oklahoma

Time
2013-05-09 09:47:57-05:00
Location
35.541°N 97.250°W
Depth
6.0km

 

 

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M2.5 – 11km NE of Napa, California

Time
2013-05-09 14:39:51-05:00
Location
38.356°N 122.180°W
Depth
9.9km

 

 

….

M2.9 – 4km N of El Segundo, California

Time
2013-05-09 16:08:03-05:00
Location
33.959°N 118.415°W
Depth
12.0km

 

….

M2.5 – 6km ESE of Maryville, Tennessee

 

Time
2013-05-09 23:57:23-05:00
Location
35.759°N 83.912°W
Depth
21.8km

 

 

….

M3.5 – 7km ESE of East Foothills, California

Time
2013-05-10 00:12:24-05:00
Location
37.373°N 121.724°W
Depth
8.3km
Contributed by Northern California Seismic Network, UC Berkeley & USGS Menlo Park

Instrumental Intensity

ShakeMap Intensity Image

 

….

M2.7 – 39km SW of Ferndale, California

Time
2013-05-10 01:44:19-05:00
Location
40.343°N 124.612°W
Depth
22.8km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 22km SW of Ferndale, California

Time
2013-05-10 05:47:36-05:00
Location
40.424°N 124.442°W
Depth
25.8km

 

 

….

M3.1 – 26km NW of Wright, Wyoming

Time
2013-05-10 07:35:18-05:00
Location
43.917°N 105.707°W
Depth
9.4km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 19km SW of La Quinta, California

Time
2013-05-10 17:58:49-05:00
Location
33.531°N 116.447°W
Depth
9.9km

 

 

….

M3.7 – 40km SW of Ferndale, California

Time
2013-05-11 01:11:00-05:00
Location
40.331°N 124.591°W
Depth
20.2km
Contributed by Northern California Seismic Network, UC Berkeley & USGS Menlo Park

Instrumental Intensity

ShakeMap Intensity Image

 

….

M2.5 – 10km NE of East Quincy, California

Time
2013-05-11 22:17:29-05:00
Location
39.992°N 120.795°W
Depth
11.9km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 27km ENE of Willow Creek, California

Time
2013-05-13 12:22:42-05:00
Location
41.047°N 123.333°W
Depth
34.9km

 

 

….

M2.7 – 12km NE of Van Horn, Texas

Time
2013-05-13 19:05:39-05:00
Location
31.128°N 104.746°W
Depth
4.3km

 

 

….

M2.8 – 7km SSW of Trumann, Arkansas

Time
2013-05-14 00:20:21-05:00
Location
35.620°N 90.550°W
Depth
9.9km

 

 

….

M2.6 – 29km ENE of Lone Pine, California

Time
2013-05-14 02:17:35-05:00
Location
36.681°N 117.746°W
Depth
12.0km

 

 

….

M2.5 – 36km E of Kanab, Utah

Time
2013-05-14 02:49:50-05:00
Location
37.095°N 112.117°W
Depth
15.3km

 

 

….

M2.7 – 34km SSW of Three Forks, Montana

Time
2013-05-14 03:46:19-05:00
Location
45.612°N 111.737°W
Depth
9.5km

 

 

….

 

United  States  -  58  Earthquakes Registered in the  last  7 days  Ranging  from 4.5  to2.5  magnitude

 

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Explosion

Explosion levels building, damages 8 others in Jensen

Investigators from the Utah State Fire
Marshal’s Office determined a gas leak caused the explosion in the
Ashley Valley Industrial Park,

Today Explosion USA State of Utah, Jensen [Ashley Valley Industrial Park] Damage level
Details

Explosion in USA on Sunday, 03 March, 2013 at 04:56 (04:56 AM) UTC.

Description
No one was hurt in an industrial park explosion Saturday morning that destroyed one building and damaged 11 others in eastern Utah’s Uintah County. The blast occurred shortly after midnight at the Ashley Valley Industrial Park, a facility a few miles southeast of Vernal that’s run by Adler Hot Oil Service. Dispatchers fielded calls from around the county from people who felt the rumble. Fire crews arrived at the facility at 5131 S. 4880 East to battle the flames while law enforcement evacuated residents within a half-mile radius of the site. Tal Ehlers, Uintah County emergency manager, estimated that included about 30 homes. Firefighters from three agencies eventually doused the flames, but not before they had destroyed an industrial building, severely damaged eight others and moderately damaged three homes, according to a news release. No one was hurt. The American Red Cross has a temporary shelter on standby at Vernal Middle School, 712 W. 100 South, for anyone displaced by the fire and evacuation. The evacuation is expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m. because crews are still dealing with a 1,000-gallon propane tank that flipped over in the explosion and has been leaking as a result, according to the release. The state’s fire marshal has sent investigators to help determine what happened, though early signs indicate it was a gas or propane explosion, Ehlers said. No one was at the site when it erupted. Adler Hot Oil Service is a Vernal-based company that sells hot oil trucks for cleaning oil and gas processing equipment, heating fracturing fluids and pumping fluids down well bores, among other applications, according to the website. The company could not be reached for comment.

 

Mystery as giant sinkhole opens gaping chasms measuring SIX FEET deep across 500 feet of pavement on Arizona roadway

By Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter

PUBLISHED: 00:00 EST, 22 February 2013 | UPDATED: 11:40 EST, 22 February 2013

A giant sinkhole opened on an Arizona road and ensnared two cars on Wednesday, leaving several gaping holes nearly six feet deep and closing the road indefinitely.

The Arizona Department of Transportation says the stretch of U.S. 89 in northern Arizona will remain closed indefinitely because of damage to the roadway about 25 miles south of Page. Two of the drivers ensnared by the sinkhole reported minor injuries.

While the agency is still trying to determine what exactly happened to cause the ground to shift beneath the road, the agency continues to assess the significant damage to the highway. Geotechnical engineers are currently evaluating the stability of the mountain slope on which the road sits.

Scroll down for video

This photo shows the buckling of U.S. 89, about 25 miles south of Page, Arizona This photo shows the buckling of U.S. 89, about 25 miles south of Page, Arizona

The Arizona Department of Transportation is rerouting motorist off the heavily traveled highway between Arizona and Utah on to other roadwaysThe Arizona Department of Transportation is rerouting motorist off the heavily traveled highway between Arizona and Utah on to other roadways

‘This area encompasses close to 500 feet of damaged pavement, but we had the opportunity in the plane to circle the area twice and it looks like the settlement could be a lot larger,’ said Robert Samour, ADOT senior deputy state engineer of operations. ‘The area over the guardrail drops off a couple hundred feet; we saw some cracking in the soil down the slope, so I would say that this is probably a 500- to700-foot section that we’re going to have to take a good look at for settlement.’

There is no timetable to reopen the highway, which has over 150 feet of pavement that buckled approximately four to six feet.

…..

Arizona highway buckles due to ‘geologic event’

 

Ariz. – A ‘geologic event’ closed a northern Arizona highway Wednesday, after a 150-foot section of pavement buckled.

U.S. 89 in northern Arizona is closed in both directions about 25 miles south of Page.

Residents in the area reported what they thought was an earthquake Wednesday morning, but geologists say it was a landslide. The Arizona Department of Transportation says the buckling was not related to the weather.

The call came in around 4:30 a.m. There were a few minor accidents as a result.

“There’s three lanes, there’s a passing lane, the passing lane going up is the one that dropped, and the whole section to the west of that is also down,” said Jason Yazzie, Navajo Division of Transportation.

Read Full Article Here

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Pavement buckles, closes US 89 south of Page

Posted: Feb 20, 2013 7:28 AM CST Updated: Feb 20, 2013 12:52 PM CST

By Steve Stout – email

(Source: Arizona Department of Transportation) A 150-foot section of U.S. 89 about 25 miles south of Page collapsed early Wednesday morning.

(Source: Arizona Department of Transportation) A 150-foot section of U.S. 89 about 25 miles south of Page collapsed early Wednesday morning.

A 150-foot section of U.S. 89 south of Page that buckled and sunk four feet Wednesday might have been caused by a “geologic event,” according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

 

The road collapsed at mile post 526 just 2.5 miles north of the intersection with U.S. 89A, about 25 miles south of page, according to an ADOT spokesman. He said the incident was not related to the weather.

The road was closed in both directions and there was no estimation when the highway would reopen, said an ADOT spokesman.

…..

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 11:37 EST, 20 February 2013 | UPDATED: 17:11 EST, 20 February 2013

The owners of a Utah horse ranch are facing more than 100 neglect charges after deputies acting on a tip discovered three horses buried in a shallow grave, several others so malnourished they couldn’t stand, and another stuck in a fence and too weak to break free.

Utah County Sheriff’s office has arrested Trudy Childs, 59, and her son, Rory Childs, 31, on 101 counts of animal cruelty and 31 counts of livestock at large, Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.

Accompanied by a veterinarian, Utah County Sheriff’s visited the Smokey Mountain Ranch in Spanish Fork housing about 100 horses last week after getting a report from a neighbor.

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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

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Trudy Childs
Rory Childs

Ranchers: Trudy Childs, left, and her son Rory, right, were arrested and charged with 101 counts of animal cruelty and 31 counts of livestock at large after officials say they had let their horses starve

 

Desperation: Deputies acting on a tip discovered starving horses stuck to barbed wire fences after trying to get to the trees on the other side so that they could gnaw on the bark Desperation: Deputies acting on a tip discovered starving horses stuck to barbed wire fences after trying to get to the trees on the other side so that they could gnaw on the bark

 

Horrific neglect: A young colt got stuck in a fence and was too weak from starvation to break freeHorrific neglect: A young colt got stuck in a fence and was too weak from starvation to break free

 

Mass grave: At least four dead animals were found buried in hastily dug graves on the Childses' property Mass grave: At least four dead animals were found buried in hastily dug graves on the Childses’ property

Five of the animals have died in recent weeks and about 12 others are ‘skin and bones, at death’s doorstep,’ Cannon said. He said Trudy Childs has told them that 12 horses have died recently from starvation.

Utah County Sheriff James Tracy called it one of the largest and most severe cases of animal abuse he has seen in 35 years, according to Desert News.

It’s the first arrest for Rory Childs, but his mother has been previously charged with animal cruelty and more than 400 counts of livestock at large, Cannon said. Deputies have had regular contact with what he said has been a problematic ranch.

Trudy Childs has 24 cases pending against her in 4th District Court. She is facing 165 counts of livestock at large, 38 counts of livestock on a highway, 38 counts of maintaining a public nuisance and one count of cruelty to animals.

Rory Childs called the charges false and unfair, and said they’ll fight them in court.

‘We’ve been doing everything we can to keep them fed and get them back healthy,’ Rory Childs said.

He said they’re stuck in a legal dispute with a ranch near Ogden owned by Linda Barrow and her son Justin Barrow that was supposed to feed and take care of their horses in a contractual agreement they entered into.

Unimaginable cruelty: Officials said the horses have lost 300-400lbs over the course of several months Unimaginable cruelty: Officials said the horses have lost 300-400lbs over the course of several months

 

Tragic sight: Five of the animals have died in recent weeks and about 12 others are skin and bones and unlikely to survive Tragic sight: Five of the animals have died in recent weeks and about 12 others are skin and bones and unlikely to survive

State Supremacy vs the Supremacy Clause

Posted by

Constitution

by Brian Greene, Utah State Representative

In Utah, I have introduced a bill for the 2013 Legislative session entitled the “State Supremacy Firearms Act.” It was released today as House Bill 114 (HB114).  The bill is intended to serve as a declaration of state supremacy over the regulation of firearm activities occurring exclusively within the boundaries of Utah, and to put the Federal Government on notice that enforcement of any conflicting federal laws will not be allowed in Utah. Although the response to my bill has been overwhelmingly positive, there have been some critics. The most common argument I have encountered is based upon a misguided reliance on Article VI, Clause 2 of the Constitution—known as the “Supremacy Clause.” Blanket statements such as “federal law always trumps state law,” and “you’re wasting your time because the law is unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause,” are typical negative reactions to my bill.

Many who favor more gun control and who support a dominant federal government actually believe that if Congress passes a law, or if the President makes an executive order, it is automatically the supreme law of the land. They love to point to the part of the Supremacy Clause that mandates that states must follow federal law when a conflict arises between federal law and either the state constitution or state law. Whether out of ignorance or convenience, they fail to look at the Supremacy Clause in its proper context—that which establishes the U.S. Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and U.S. Treaties as “the supreme law of the land.”

Hence, the Supremacy Clause only applies if an act of the Federal Government is in pursuit of its constitutionally authorized powers. In other words, Federal laws are valid and are supreme, only to the extent that those laws were adopted in pursuance of—that is, consistent with—the Constitution.

To read the Supremacy Clause as big government proponents would have you—that ALL FEDERAL LAWS ARE SUPREME—would render the remainder of the Constitution meaningless. Why would there be a need for anything other than a Supremacy Clause?  Why would the Constitution’s Framers have deliberated throughout the summer of 1787 over the other 4,500 words in the Constitution if their intent was to make the Federal Government supreme in all areas it unilaterally decided to act?

 

Read Full Article Here

Earth Watch Report  -  Earthquakes

            
Image Source                                                                                                 Image Source

2.7 9km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-06 18:47:01 37.783°N 113.128°W 7.5

M2.7 – 9km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-06 18:47:01 UTC

Earthquake location 37.783°N, 113.128°W

Event Time

  1. 2013-02-06 18:47:01 UTC
  2. 2013-02-06 11:47:01 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
  3. 2013-02-06 12:47:01 UTC-06:00 system time

Location

37.783°N 113.128°W depth=7.5km (4.7mi)

Nearby Cities

  1. 9km (6mi) W of Enoch, Utah
  2. 13km (8mi) NNW of Cedar City, Utah
  3. 69km (43mi) NNE of Hurricane, Utah
  4. 79km (49mi) NNE of Washington, Utah
  5. 347km (216mi) SSW of Salt Lake City, Utah

3.1 7km WNW of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 19:29:55 37.804°N 113.106°W 2.4

M3.1 – 7km WNW of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 19:29:55 UTC

Earthquake location 37.804°N, 113.106°W

Event Time

  1. 2013-02-07 19:29:55 UTC
  2. 2013-02-07 12:29:55 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
  3. 2013-02-07 13:29:55 UTC-06:00 system time

Location

37.804°N 113.106°W depth=2.4km (1.5mi)

Nearby Cities

  1. 7km (4mi) WNW of Enoch, Utah
  2. 14km (9mi) NNW of Cedar City, Utah
  3. 71km (44mi) NNE of Hurricane, Utah
  4. 82km (51mi) NNE of Washington, Utah
  5. 344km (214mi) SSW of Salt Lake City, Utah

3.5 8km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 20:02:21 37.788°N 113.124°W 2.1

M3.5 – 8km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 20:02:21 UTC

Earthquake location 37.788°N, 113.124°W

Event Time

  1. 2013-02-07 20:02:21 UTC
  2. 2013-02-07 13:02:21 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
  3. 2013-02-07 14:02:21 UTC-06:00 system time

Location

37.788°N 113.124°W depth=2.1km (1.3mi)

Nearby Cities

  1. 8km (5mi) W of Enoch, Utah
  2. 13km (8mi) NNW of Cedar City, Utah
  3. 69km (43mi) NNE of Hurricane, Utah
  4. 80km (50mi) NNE of Washington, Utah
  5. 346km (215mi) SSW of Salt Lake City, Utah

3.5 8km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 20:02:21 37.788°N 113.124°W 2.1

M3.5 – 8km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-07 20:02:21 UTC

Earthquake location 37.788°N, 113.124°W

Event Time

  1. 2013-02-07 20:02:21 UTC
  2. 2013-02-07 13:02:21 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
  3. 2013-02-07 14:02:21 UTC-06:00 system time

Location

37.788°N 113.124°W depth=2.1km (1.3mi)

Nearby Cities

  1. 8km (5mi) W of Enoch, Utah
  2. 13km (8mi) NNW of Cedar City, Utah
  3. 69km (43mi) NNE of Hurricane, Utah
  4. 80km (50mi) NNE of Washington, Utah
  5. 346km (215mi) SSW of Salt Lake City, Utah

2.8 9km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-08 03:19:52 37.786°N 113.125°W 4.7

M2.8 – 9km W of Enoch, Utah 2013-02-08 03:19:52 UTC

Earthquake location 37.786°N, 113.125°W

Event Time

  1. 2013-02-08 03:19:52 UTC
  2. 2013-02-07 20:19:52 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
  3. 2013-02-07 21:19:52 UTC-06:00 system time

Location

37.786°N 113.125°W depth=4.7km (2.9mi)

Nearby Cities

  1. 9km (6mi) W of Enoch, Utah
  2. 13km (8mi) NNW of Cedar City, Utah
  3. 69km (43mi) NNE of Hurricane, Utah
  4. 80km (50mi) NNE of Washington, Utah
  5. 346km (215mi) SSW of Salt Lake City, Utah

Tectonic Summary

Earthquakes in the Intermountain Seismic Belt (Southern Utah)

Intermountain Seismic Belt, Southern UtahThe Intermountain seismic belt (ISB) is a prominent north-south-trending zone of recorded seismicity in the Intermountain West. A modern catalog of instrumentally located earthquakes in Utah begins in mid-1962, and historical earthquake records date back to the 1850s. The ISB in southern Utah is characterized by scattered seismicity with locally dense clusters of small- to moderate-sized earthquakes. The largest earthquake in the ISB in southern Utah was a M6.5 earthquake in 1901 in Richfield. A group of three M5 and 6 earthquakes occurred in Elsinore in the Sevier Valley in 1921. To the south in southwestern Utah, a damaging earthquake (M5.9) occurred in 1992 near St. George. Earthquake swarms (clusters of earthquakes with no outstanding main shocks) of maximum magnitude 3 to 4 are common in the area.

Because moderate and large earthquakes are likely, expected levels of strong ground shaking are relatively high. Ground shaking from a M5 earthquake can cause significant damage at distances up to 10 km (6 miles), and a M7 at distances up to 50 km (30 miles) and more. Geologic site conditions such as deep sediment-filled basins may locally amplify and prolong ground shaking.

Faults

The ISB in southern Utah coincides with a transition between east-west-directed stretching in the Basin and Range to the west and more stable crust of the Colorado Plateau to the east. Tectonic movement on generally north-trending, east- and west-dipping range- and plateau-bounding normal faults, which results in horizontal extension, characterizes this part of Utah. The Sevier Valley is an area of variable and complex deformation involving significant components of folding and both normal and strike-slip faulting. The most prominent geologically young faults in southwestern Utah are the Hurricane and Sevier faults. The Hurricane fault forms the west-facing Hurricane Cliffs, which define the eastern edge of the Basin and Range within the ISB. Faults in the ISB in southern Utah locally show evidence of displacement younger than 10,000 years, but average recurrence intervals are generally longer than those on faults in the ISB in northern Utah. Recurrence intervals for surface faulting on the most active segments of ISB faults in southern Utah are generally many thousand to tens of thousands of years.

Moderate to large earthquakes in the Sevier Valley area and other small to moderate earthquakes in the ISB in southern Utah generally cannot be correlated with particular mapped faults, although the 1992 M5.9 St. George earthquake may have occurred on the west-dipping Hurricane fault.

Anthony Freda Art

Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post

While many concerned Americans express their worries regarding the direction of the country by repeating the tired warnings of “creeping” Fascism, the reality is that predictions of our dissolve into total tyranny are no longer appropriate. This is because what once was “creeping” has finally reached its destination. Now, it is only beginning to show itself more and more openly.

In all honesty, when one wishes to begin a conversation regarding Fascist elements in the United States, it would be hard to know where to start, given the developments that have accelerated since 9/11, each Presidential election, and, indeed, every passing year.

Yet, while many Americans, brainwashed by years of television and intellectual obsolescence, expect Fascism to rush in riding waves of tanks, parading soldiers, and dictators on megaphones, the fact is that Fascism has arrived in a slightly less advertised form.

However, while it may not have arrived in the United States in the way that Americans believed it might, there are at least two developments that have indeed followed the traditional track of the Fascism that emerged in Europe during the 1930s.

One of these forms was recently detailed by Susanne Posel of Occupy Corporatism in her article “DHS Are Militarizing Local Police to Create Federalized Law Enforcement Agencies,” where she discusses the ongoing agenda of consolidating and merging local and state police forces into one all-encompassing national police force structure.

In this regard, much of the consolidation agenda is being accomplished by virtue of private security firms, a topic which I have been forced to cover for similar reasons in the past.

In her article, Posel begins by mentioning the 2011 consolidation of police forces in Utah where an entirely new agency, the Unified Police Department (UPD) in the Salt Lake City area, was created. She writes that the UPD merged various jurisdictions and municipalities that were previously under the purview of the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department and placed all of these jurisdictions under the authority of the UPD. Very soon after, Posel claims, the UPD became the standard for other police departments across the country.

Utah is by no means the only state with a private police force problem. States such as Florida, Minnesota, California, Louisiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, and Massachusetts, have either replaced or attempted to replace local police departments with private security firms in at least some capacity over the last two decades.

Many may remember the case of Hardin, Montana which was essentially occupied by American Police Force, a private security firm that paraded itself around town as Hardin’s police force in 2009.

In 2012, Delaware introduced legislation that would have removed the power of the Sheriff and stripped the deputies and Sheriff Departments of their arrest powers. Thankfully, H.B. 290 was not passed.

Likewise, a move was made in Kershaw County, South Carolina to remove power from the county Sheriff and create a countywide police force which was not directly accountable to the citizens. Ironically, because this move required approval from Kershaw County voters, Sheriff Jim Matthews and his position were saved by the very activists whom he labeled “domestic extremists” only months prior. Clearly, these activists were more adept at perceiving danger where it actually exists than the Sheriff himself.

Nevertheless, Horry County, South Carolina has already created a countywide police force. It should be noted, however, that the Horry County version exists (and has existed for at least 50 years) alongside the Horry County Sherriff’s office so the consolidation that has taken place in Salt Lake has not yet been fully realized in Horry.

Yet consolidation of traditional law enforcement agencies into an organization that no longer has elected officials as the head of operations is not a situation that exists only in the states mentioned above. Denver County, Colorado, for instance, maintains the Denver County Police Department, with the Sheriff’s Department assuming responsibility over mere care, custody, and transport of prisoners and detainees.

Indeed, one need only search the Web to find numerous cases of police departments and Sheriff’s offices that have been merged together to effectively remove the power of the electorate (for what it is worth) and enable larger-scale ramifications in the event that the County police department is privatized.

Of course, in reality it is obvious that the privatization of police forces has its roots in a much more sinister agenda than mere corporate greed and a desire to escape accountability.

For instance, in early 2012, a document was released by the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Group, an organization closely tied to the Department of Homeland Security and co-chaired by former DHS chief Michael Chertoff, entitled, “Homeland Security and Intelligence: Next Steps in Evolving the Mission,” which states the desire of DHS and its related federal police state agencies to consume and centralize control over state and local law enforcement agencies as well as to infiltrate and co-opt the private sector. The report reads,

Partnerships and collaboration will be a determining factor in whether this refined mission succeeds. As threat grows more localized, the prospect that a state/local partner will generate the first lead to help understand a new threat, or even an emerging cell, will grow. And the federal government’s need to train, and even staff, local agencies, such as major city police departments, will grow. Because major cities are the focus for threat, these urban areas also will become the sources of intelligence that will help understand these threats at the national level, DHS might move toward decentralizing more of its analytic workforce to partner with state/local agencies in the collection and dissemination of intelligence from the local level.

This new approach to intelligence — serving local partners’ requirements, providing intelligence in areas (such as infrastructure) not previously served by intelligence agencies, and disseminating information by new means — reflects a transition in how Americans perceive national security. For this reason, state/local agencies, as clients for DHS intelligence, should also be involved in the development of requirements for what kinds of intelligence on emerging threats would be most helpful, from changing tactics for smuggling aliens into the United States to how to understand overseas terrorist incidents and translate them into analysis for the US.

Similarly, different private sectors in the United States, from the hospitality industry to
transportation, should drive requirements for DHS, in addition to serving as sources for information about what emerging vulnerabilities these industries are seeing. DHS should utilize existing public private partnerships to both drive requirements and aid distribution.

Indeed, one can easily see the agenda coming into view by virtue of the emergence of fusion centers infiltrating state and local law enforcement agencies all across the country, only furthering the federalization of police.

Without a doubt, the privatization of police forces is only one method of converting local and state law enforcement agencies to federally-controlled DHS public management organizations that are themselves interchangeable to the point of being one and the same as the U.S. military.

The evisceration of the rule of law (except for the force of law aimed at keeping the “little people” in check) is indeed one of the hallmarks of Fascism. But, while this may be seen in the privatization of police forces, nowhere is it more obvious than in the context of the “Emergency Manager” dictatorship being established in Michigan.

In what can easily be described as an openly Fascist law, Michigan’s Emergency Financial Management Law which was passed in March, 2011, essentially gives the Governor the authority to take over local governments and municipalities and appoint his own directors in place of elected leaders.

Although the concept of an “Emergency Manager” is not entirely new since Michigan has had a form of the Emergency Manager in place since around 1988 by virtue of a law which was passed and signed by then Governor James Blanchard, a Democrat, Republican Governor Rick Snyder has taken full advantage of both the Emergency Manager concept and the new powers of the Financial Management Law. It should also be noted that Emergency Managers have since been utilized by both Democrat and Republican administrations.

 

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The Rumor Mill News
Posted By: Jordon

A private plane carrying three men working for a Utah bank crashed in mysterious circumstances shortly after takeoff in Texas on Saturday, killing all three aboard, according to authorities.

The Piper PA-46 aircraft had just taken off from an airport near Paris, Texas, around 8 a.m. when it came crashing down outside the town of Glory to the south.

The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the men as Michael Endo, 50, Michael Dale Bradley, 44, and the pilot Rob Thompson, 49, according to a report in the The Desert News.

All three men worked for Utah-based Celtic Bank, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

‘This is a challenging and difficult time for the entire Celtic Bank family,’ bank CEO Reese Howell Jr. said in a statement.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash. The Public Safety Department said it was reportedly foggy and the plane attempted to turn back toward the airport before descending rapidly and crashing.

The plane burst into flames upon impact, FAA spokesman Roland Herwig told the Tribune.

 

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Earth Watch Report  -  Extreme Weather

11.01.2013 Snow Storm USA State of Utah, [Utah-wide] Damage level
Details

Snow Storm in USA on Friday, 11 January, 2013 at 04:52 (04:52 AM) UTC.

Description
The storm caused several closures Friday night. Weber Applied Technical College reported they would not be holding classes and all Salt Lake City library locations were closing at 7 p.m. State Road 92 was closing between US189 and Sundance from 7 p.m. to about 8 p.m. for avalanche control. People charged with clearing the freeways and roads started preparations well before the first snowflakes started flying to minimize possible problems. Road crews have been resting up for what is expected to be an extra long shift. Once they’re on, it’s all hands on deck until the storm stops and the roads are clear. UDOT driver Derek Donivan is one person in charge of the freeways. He is part of a plan that involves treating the pavement with a brine solution ahead of time, allowing snow plows to more easily clear the fallen snow. It’s science and manpower together, fighting Mother Nature. “Pre-treating the roads allows us to have a slight edge in ways that as the snow hits the road, if we have pre-treated correctly, that snow will not bond to the roadway, allowing us to push it faster,” said UDOT Spokesman Adan Carillo. Overall Gandolf storm is considered moderate, but roads and traffic are a concern for UDOT plows and emergency responders alike. Earlier Thursday, the winds alone caused some damage ahead of the storm. A giant KFC bucket sign was blown off its pole in Sandy along 9400 South and 700 East. The bucket landed on the pavement and no one was injured. Workers hooked the bucket up to a truck and pulled it away to get it out of the front entrance.

….

 

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